sin as horrible as ever he argued it pleasant and commodious yea his chief darts lie at the faith of a beleever to be reasoning against the grounds of beleeving questioning their election severing the promises out of their sight mudding and darkening their sight of Christ accusing them for unsound and hypocrites tempting them from means which make for strengthening of faith Peter saith Christ Satan hath desired to winnow thee but I have prayed that thy faith fail not implying Satans design lay most against his faith through the malice and subtlety of Satan faith is put hard to it till the Lord rebuke him 5. Faith is wrought forth gradually in the soul by degrees at first sown as a grain of mustard-seed a small seed corruptions and reasonings like overspreading tares ready to choak it therefore being sown as I may so speak in weaknesse at first 't is thus put to it for comfort therefore Paul tels the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3.10,13 that there was something lacking in their faith and the establishment of their faith is much praied for by him 6. The Lord suffers it to be so that his power in the supporting of a weak soul may the more appear Faith is called the operation of the Son of God 1 Thess 2. and that your faith might stand in the power of God when a soul is full of fears and mis-givings and ready to sink under them theu the hand of the Lord is more visible in sustaining then we see by his power alone we stand Had we a strong setled faith presently we should rather be lifted up in our selves or rest upon grace received and so not glorifie the Lord Jesus and live upon him for strength as he requires Therefore the Lord suffers these fightings and reasonings within that we might have continuall recourse to him for support and that we might see that the beginnings life and growth of faith it is all in and from Jesus Christ as the Authour and Finisher of it For these Reasons viz. the wisedom and pride of flesh and bloud the natural power of Unbelief not being wholly subdued sense of unworthinesse the depth of guilt accusations of conscience and the disputings of Satan faith sown in weaknesse at first and all this suffered to ends of glory to the Lord Jesus Christ that his power and grace may be the more magnified therefore true faith is mixt with many reasonings doubtings misgivings disputings fears which do annoy it I will first endeavour to apply this before I prove further that such a faith may engage Christ to succour 1. If true faith be thus mixt with fears and reasonings It meets first with the easie faith that the most of people please themselves in as I thank God I alwaies beleeved God forbid but I should beleeve in Jesus Christ 'T is easie very easie indeed to presume away a precious soul 't is easie to flatter a mans self with an opinion of beleeving and indeed 't is nothing else but a customary opinion of Christ But to beleeve in Christ Jesus and savingly and effectually to apply his bloud by his Spirit enabling this is hard ah hard indeed to a poor convinced soul that hath deep thoughts of heart about the pardon of sins Lord help my unbelief and Lord if thou wilt and the like This easie beleeving is the dead sleep of sin upon the conscience and a generall opinion in the brain that Christ died for sinners even for all sinners to whom he is preached heightned by the strong delusion of the devil whose work it is to perswade souls that have nothing but a dead generall faith that they beleeve well and on the contrary to dispute against the faith of true beleevers that they do not truly believe And this among others may be a discovery of true faith unbelief is still mixing and Satan disputing against it as in the reasons shew'd If so much faith against beleeving pardon of sinne in the Lord Jesus how can it choose but be so but it must be a hard thing to a poor soul to fasten upon Christ in a promise for remission of sins when so much opposition to it Therefore this is an infallible note true beleevers deeply feel and are humbled for unbelief Oh 't is the deep evil of their hearts and that they most tremble at but take a carnall formall dead-hearted Protestant and no such matter with him He could beleeve a thousand years together and if he have any scruples they be as nothing a little praier or the like will quickly hekl it And herein also is another great snare Naturall conscience that is a conscience not savingly enlightned and sanctified may give some checks before in or after the commission of a sin and then unregenerate persons do most usually gather that they have truth of grace because they have some little conflicts within which they fasten upon from Rom. 7. the thing that I would not that do I but that former I is meant of the regenerate nature distinct to and warring against the fleshly part and not a little conflicting of the naturall conscience from common enlightenings of the word So also as to doubting and some small mis-givings these argue not a truth of saith unlesse these are only allayed by the going out of the soul to Jesus Christ and the evidence of the work of saith with power wrought forth in us If thy doubtings be such that do not settle again till thou hast made a true entire close with Jesus Christ in self-renouncing then they are of the spirit subduing sin and unbelief in thee Therefore look narrowly to unbelief as true faith interests the soul in Christ and all his grace and promises so unbelief excludes while unsubdued from all of Christ It sins against totum dei every attribute of God So then they could not enter in because of unbelief An utter impossibility upon it And this may reign through deluded mis-perswasion of true faith though the conversation in the eye of men civil and regular I desire to acknowledge to the praise of the rich grace of God that the opening of the power of unbelief by a holy Preacher of the Gospel was the first time of the Lords speaking to me in powerfull convincement that I was in the state of unbelief though before full of confidence of the safety of my condition Oh therefore Soul whoever thou art be jealous of thy own heart in this particular unbelief is a close spirituall undiscerned evil till the Lord come in and shew thee what the strength of it is by casting in a grain of faith to grapple with it which without the continuall supply of his Spirit will be overwhelmed by it Therefore let me presse thee with a serious triall of thy self this way that this is a dangerous snare easinesse to beleeve pardon of sin and peace with God So that unlesse thou canst make out a work of faith with power by the word and spirit Question all and so
at the very root 3. Consider that though thou hast not sensible comfort yet thou art supported of the Lord in thy present condition which thou maist indeed consider with comfort Psa 63.8 My soul followeth after thee and thy right hand upholdeth me So continue to follow hard after God and if thou findest his right hand his power sustaining thee thou maist conclude as David v. last of that Psalm But I shall rejoyce in God c. thou shalt be satisfied with his goodnesse yea if thou finde such promise breaking in upon thy spirit and thou gatherest support from it it may be an evidence a love-token to thee that God is in a way of love and comfort to thee 4. Consider that faith and sensible enjoyment of Gods love do not inseparably go together are not the same as some poor creatures be apt to fancy 't is faith and not sense therefore learn to live by faith and not by sense But yet may some poor Soul say This doth not come to the height of thy condition the very strength of this tempest in the conscience being upon thee Ah thou art a forlorn tempestuous soul indeed thou saist why now then I will particularly deal with thee Reade thy condition in Isa 54.8,9,10,11 c. 'T is spoken of the State of the Church but as truly applicable to thy condition v. 6. the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in Spirit yea v. 11. Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted that fits thee See v. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee but with everlasting kindenesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer A small moment and a little wrath but great and everlasting kindenesse But may not the Lord if he please reserve and withhold these from poor creatures that come thus afflicted and tossed with tempest I answer from ver 9 10. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindenesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Here 's the Oath of God upon it and sooner shall the waters cover the earth again and the mountains remove themselves then the Lord rebuke and utterly cast off such a soul Neither shall the Covenant of his peace be removed that is as God tenders a new agreement and to be at peace with sinners contented he is yea infinitely desirous of it Can he then cast off a soul that comes tendring it self for peace with him that laies hold on his Covenant Isaiah 59.6 But yet further will a weak mis-giving heart be reasoning against God and it self I fear for all this that 't is in vain for me to seek my heart sinks within me Now mark what the Lord saith to this Isa 45.19 I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth I said not unto the Seed of Jacob Seek me in vain I the Lord speak in righteousnesse and declare things that are right This the Lord doth not reserve as a secret but would have it proclaimed on the house top Let it be known to every poor weak soul that seeks me It shall not be in vain As if it were laid down on purpose as indeed it is to answer such a fond reasoning And further saith he I the Lord speak righteousnesse I do not trifle with and delude souls but speak in good earnest the things that are right and v. 22. I am a just God true to my word and therefore not to be reasoned against by men or devils Away then with such debates as thou dost foster in thy heart yea with such vile disputings against God as to say within thy self 'T is too late 'T is in vain my case is desperate God will not hear and therefore why should I seek To what purpose is it Is not this to belye the wise and holy and faithfull God so to adde abundantly to thy former iniquity In a word If thou dost seek and venture and try what God will do if thou art at last cast off thou canst but be damned And thy seeking if thou couldst fail will rather be a mitigation of thy torment then an encrease Well but yet further may a Soul object for the devil hath a world of Sophistry this way If I should be stirred up to seek upon these grounds how shall I be ascertain'd that these promises belong to me Why mark thou dost thou not say I am an afflicted soul disquieted tossed with tempest and in thy own thoughts forsaken And saist moreover that thou art contented to seek and wait seeing at worst thou canst be no looser by it why then by what plea art thou excluded what law or what caveat is put in against thee perhaps thou wilt say thy sinning with so high a hand against thy God with many grievous aggravating circumstances Why finful worm know 't is written as clear as the Sun if thou knowst any thing of the Gospel and minde of Christ that no sinner is excluded from acceptance from the greatnesse of sin but for want of coming to Christ that he might have life Joh. 5. as hath been shew'd The truth is thou art unwilling to be beholden to Christ or impatient to stay his leisure or else art resolved to beleeve the lies of the devil against him or else thou wouldst not thus parley against him Therefore bow thy self at his feet and pleade his own arguments that he hath left for thee in his word and do not stand asking whether these promises belong to thee for they are as much thine as any souls in the world if thou wilt pleade them But yet further may a poor soul complain Ah I have a dull dead heavy indisposed heart heartlesse am I to seek and cry c. I have shewed before that if thou wilt ask a heart I will give it thee saith the Lord and ask his Spirit to raise up thy heart above that indisposed distemper Nay Soul let me ask thee Canst thou truly complain of and feel such a distemper oh what a dull heavy dead indisposed heart have I 'T is of the spirit of life within thee or thou couldst not so complain And 't is an earnest of more of the spirit to be given unto thee from what hath been now and before said unto thee Soul maist thou be encouraged to seek and wait privately publikely be diligent in all means yea with some measure of contentednesse till the Lord shall speak and when thy spirit is so subdued usually comfort is not farre off But as to thy further encouragemen I will leade thee on
that it mix not nor break out into carnall joy And indeed when such a holy fear doth arise and mingle it self with our joy then it is most spirituall and doth best distinguish a fleshly joy from a spirituall And now having thus farre stated the case of a poor willing hardly-beleeving soul as coming in a perishing condition to Christ with such considerations which may be for a stay unto it till Christ speak as in the Text Why art thou fearfull We will now set the tempestuous Soul in this perishing condition in weaknesse of faith before Jesus Christ and so briefly consider what this rebuking voice of Christ is able to do Only I will first question with this fearfull soul in Christs words Soul why art thou fearfull thou wilt answer readily From thy sins and unbelief 1. Hath Jesus Christ power enough to subdue them Sure he hath I will subdue them and Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall let it or turn it back When he will work in any businesse his Father hath committed to him whereof this is one of the chief even to receive and comsort weak souls that come unto him Isa 40.10,11 Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand and his arm shall rule for him behold his reward is with him and his work before him What work is this he owns with so much power and puts such a Behold upon See in the next verse He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd He shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them with his bosome and shall gently leade them that are with young Now mark Soul Here 's his power to work and none none shall turn it back and the work thou hast for him to do is his own work and businesse therefore with encouragement spread it before him commit it to him and neither sins nor unbelief shall stand before him 2. Is' t his will and purpose to receive such a weakling This hath been opened in part before But consider Soul 't was his very purpose in coming down from heaven 1 Joh. 3.8 and having wrought forth his purpose in order to it here below Now he is passed into the Heavens to make it good to poor souls to whom to such who come on set purpose for it Therefore when 't is Christs great purpose that which his heart is full on and also thou goest and seekest to him on purpose for it what needst thou stagger and be fearfull Now that this is the work that is still before Christ to do and his purpose not changed is left upon record in his last words to John Rev. 22.17 Let him which is athirst Come which was spoken after his ascension into glory But still it may be thy minde runs upon this This power and purpose of Christ towards my self I beleeve in the general to be true of the Lord Jesus Christ but whether I am one of those to whom it is meant Mark whosoever will answers that as I have reasoned before Shew me how thou canst exclude thy self from that generall invitement or thou must grant it takes in thee also that desirest to come to him And if thou still reasonest as to thy particular case as receiving such aggravations which every ordinary sinner doth not I answer There is no stating of cases but Whosoever will and whosoever is athirst know in a word That 't is written as with a beam of the Sun for clearnesse that the Gospel excludes no soul from salvation because he is such or such a sinner but for not coming in the sense of it to Christ that he might have life in him If thou shouldest catch at that and say Thou fearest thou art not sensible enough know that is a measure of sensibility of sin and such as may upon a true account send to Christ And therefore Soul say what thou wilt within thy self and reason from thy self and so maist put in these demurres do but eye Jesus Christ in his power purpose free and generall invitement and thou hast no ground to be fearful And therefore why art thou fearfull Thou hast no reason if thou eyest Christ to be so specially if thou consider what is next to be opened Obs 5. That Jesus Christ can with a word rebuke all the tempests and fears upon a poor soul coming and seeking to him In the handling of which I shall be very brief He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still Psa 107.27 True in this case also In Mar. 4 the parallel place to the Text He said unto the Sea Peace and be still and 't was enough He that could command the windes and Seas by his word can much more still the troubles and fears of a poor soul coming to him This hath also in part been confirmed by observing the answers that Christ gave to those who in such difficult cases came to him Be thou clean Go in peace and these were presently effected by the word of his mouth As in the Creation of the word God said Let there be c. and it was so Now as to this work upon a poor soul there 's the same mighty power promised and goes along with his word which he speaks in and by in the Gospel Thou hast the words saith Peter of eternall lise 'T is often cal'd The Word of Life The power of God The arm of the Lord The red of his Strength even such a power as is described Psa 29. The voice of the Lord upon the waters The voice of the Lord is powerfull and full of Majesty it breaks the Cedars of Lebanon and shakes the wildernesse c. So is it able to subdue all the high things all the reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong holds and heights of our Spirits It can make the wildernesse and the solitary place the place of singing and of joy even what the Psalmist concludes in that Psalm mentioned at vers 11. The Lord will give strength unto his people The Lord will bless his prople with peace And this is spoken as a conclusion to all those mighty things that are spoken of the voice of the Lord. Much might be said for the further explication of this but being a truth so clear and granted I shall only briefly apply it Vse I might return here to the dead-hearted professour and inform him of his misery by this Truth That so much vertue and might in the holy Word of God and he never felt this shaking or quickning him And thence that he might come under this that no work of God with power upon his heart to this day and so to counsell and encourage the poor dead blinde deaf sinners with diligence to attend upon Christs voice saith Christ Isa 43.8 Bring them to me Hast thou a heart like a wildernesse come to him and it shall blossome as the rose Hast thou a heart of earth I will smite it Isa 11. Nor sins